Known APK problem

Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205: brakes

On the Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205 the APK inspector finds brakes problems 60% more often than on cars of the same age: at 5–6 years 2.9%, against about 1.8% nationally.

Illustration Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

What is it?

Worn or rusted brake discs and pads, or uneven braking.

Repair indication: mediuma targeted repair at the garage.

How to check it at the viewing

Look through the wheel at the discs: no deep grooves or thick rust edge. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stay straight.

Ask the seller: When were the brake discs and pads last replaced?

By age

Share of inspected Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205s with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

Age	Type	C-Klasse S205	95%-CI	National	Difference	n
5 – 6 years	B	0.5%	0.3 – 1.0%	1.3%	0.4×	1,519
5 – 6 years	C	2.9%	2.2 – 3.9%	1.8%	1.6×	1,519
7 – 8 years	A	0.3%	0.2 – 0.6%	1.0%	0.3×	3,227
7 – 8 years	B	1.3%	0.9 – 1.7%	1.4%	0.9×	3,227
7 – 8 years	C	3.1%	2.5 – 3.7%	2.6%	1.2×	3,227
9 – 10 years	A	0.4%	0.3 – 0.6%	2.0%	0.2×	5,630
9 – 10 years	B	0.9%	0.7 – 1.2%	1.5%	0.6×	5,630
9 – 10 years	C	3.0%	2.6 – 3.5%	2.7%	1.1×	5,630
11 – 12 years	B	1.4%	0.8 – 2.6%	1.7%	0.8×	759
11 – 12 years	C	2.6%	1.7 – 4.0%	2.9%	0.9×	759

A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.

Comparable cars at 5–6 years

Model	Brakes	Vs. national
Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205	2.9%	1.6×
BMW 2-serie Active Tourer F45	0.6%	0.5×
Hyundai i30 III	0.9%	1.3×

Looking at a Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205s of the same age.

All weak spots of the Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205 · Brakes: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205 often have brakes problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 5–6 years the inspector found a brakes defect on 2.9% of inspected Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205s, against about 1.8% of all cars of the same age (1.6×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the brakes on a used Mercedes-Benz C-Klasse S205?

Look through the wheel at the discs: no deep grooves or thick rust edge. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stay straight.

Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know